Crystal River current., 1887-06-04
QuAcks IN THE MIDDLE AGES,

Io-Day-scveral 0uccoesfuI lmpOs'
tiers.
The seventeenth century quack diff
fered little from the modern represen-
tative. The following was published
in 1855, and would almost serve as
modern photograph:
my name is Pulsefeel, pure doctor
of physick, that does wear three pile
velvet in his hat; has paid quarters
rent of mis- house beforeha and; and (sim-
pie as he stands here) was made doctor
beyond the sea. vow. as l am right
worshipful, the taking of my degree
cost me - French crowns and thirty.
five pounds of butter in upper Germany.
l can make your beauty and preserve
it; rectifye your body and maintain il;
clarifye your blood, surfie your cheeks.
perfume your skin. tinct your ha'r, en-
and as for yellies, dentifrizes, dyets.
minerals, fricasses, pomatums. fumes.
Italia masks to sleep in, either to
moisten or dry the supereces. faugh!
Galen was goose and Paracelsus
patch to DIR. Pulsefeel."
Tradition is powerful in every trade.
and that OF the pretender to extraordln-
airy powers is no EXCEPTION. Any one
who will take the trouble to read the
glaring posters on the dead walls of any
city, can see the worthy DR.. Pulsefeers
claims matched by his modern imita-
tors every day in the year. The prnci-
pie of division of labor has subdvided
the work of the modern quack. so that
one. as a rule, does not claim every
thing. 1t is true the modern quack
generally hides his personality behind
the name of his nostrum or patent
medicine, but the principle is exactly
the same-to give fair promises which
are calculated to deceive. and hence
are essentially dishonest.
The travelling quack of the middle
ages was wontto harargue the populace
from q platform erected in the market
place, hence the name 'tmountebank'
is still applied to his successor in bust
ness. The pretender was often called
a ''quack-salver." from the lini ment or
ointment he sold for the cure of wens;
hence our moder term ''quack.
The great London guack of the time
of Charles III. was DR.. Thomas Stafford.
He was originally weaver, but adopt
ing to cure all diseases and protesting
to foretcll the destinies of his patients.
The apothecaries of that time not only
acted as medical quacks, as most of
them to-day, but also as fortune tellers.
Queen Anne had weak eyes and was an
enthusiastic patron of vulgar ignorance
IN the form of eye doctors. Two of
them she fancied especially. and one of
these. William Reade, she made bar
onet, although he was most wretchedly
ignorant, as "Short and Exact ac-
count OF all the Diseases Incident to the
Eyes, which he published. remains to
testify. Reade was 3 worthless tailor.
but he stepped into fashionable and
paying practice after he obtained the
royal favor. He was unable to read
the book which he wrote (by the hand
of Il scribe), but that made no differ
ence to the wealthy fools. his patrons.
The queen other favorite quack oculist
was Rodgcr Grant. retired cobbler
and Ana-baptist preacher. Grant was
in the habit of publishing minute &C.
counts of his cures. mostly tissue Of
lies. but with enough truth interviewer
to give u resemblance of probability.
His favorte plan was to secure some
poor person whose sight was
imperfect. and after giving him
money and medicine for q few
weeks, persuade him to sign a
testimonial that he had been born blind
and had never enjoyed the sense of
sight until Providence had led him to
DR.. Grant. who had cured him in a
little more than a month. If he could
buy certificate from the clergyman
and church wardens of the parish
where the alleged patient lived. to the
effect that the testimonial was true.
very well; if he could not obtain gen.
uine documents OF this kind lie could
always find people to forge them for u
small sum. The recent impudent GER
titicates, apparently signed by the pres
ident and numerous prominent people
attesting their virtues of a brand of bit
ters made in an eastern city, show that
the quacks of this order are still to be
found plying their infamous trade. The
most famous-;tnd learned for the time
the physicians of that age did not
disdain to deal in secret nostrums.
Thus, Sir Hans Sloanes sold an eye
| salve and Dr. Meade remedy for n.y.
drophobia. Consequently the quacks
were justified in making what they
could out of apublic which was not too
intelligent to be swindled by their most
| renowned physicians. The doctors, at
least had no reasonable ground for
complaint In The Spectator for July
&c, IVA, there is an amusing account
of typical quack Of the period. and
Steele has recorded some capital anec-
dotes of these gentry. One of them
claimed he could cure cataracts "be-
cause he had lost an eye in the en-
peror's service" This evidence Of
ability was thought all-suffieient by the
good people who patronized him. One
fellow. calling himself DR.. Katterfelto.
travelled about with large cage com
tanning number OF black cats. which
seemed equal to a modern diploma il
the way Of inspiring confidence in his
powers. Louis1G Globe Democrat.
Complete Our Happiness.